Carter is One. Year. Old.

The light of my life!

Wow! My little munchkin is not a little munchkin anymore....he's a Big boy! We had his first birthday party on October 1 and he turned one just 4 days later, on October 5. It has flown by so quickly but had also been filled with so much excitement, activity, and growing that I can remember each stage we've gone through now.

A man on the move.  All the time!  Everywhere!

At 12 months old, here are some of the key points to remember about Carter:
 Loves copycat games, reading, saying "that" to everything!, laying on the floor kicking, Mommies toes (snuggling them, playing with them, laughing at them), Yo Gabba Gabba, being tickled...especially those thighs!, being in small spaces, The Icky Sticky Frog (and interpreting it  with his tucking flicking in and out and a deep Bllleeepp (ribbit?) sound, imitating loud noises and sounds people make, burps, coughs, sneezes, Go Gurt, Being in Mommy's Arms, running around EVERYWHERE, getting into EVERYTHING, helping out (taking spoons out of dishwasher and putting them in drawers), BEING OUTSIDE!, swings, swings, swings, animals!--dogs, ducks, and cats mostly, he loves to roar like a lion, hoot like an owl, and motion like an elephant nose with his arms! music, other kids-and touching their noses,  getting laughs out of people-which he does quite often, bathtime. 

He's very much set on his schedule (especially night time...it's hard to stray from it).  He likes most foods, but meats are a bit challenging to get him to eat.  He's taking one nap a day now for the most days, by his doing.  He is on whole milk now--our bank account is happy about that.  He is very smart-he catches on to things fast and remembers everything:  he knows where each clothing piece goes on his body-especially shoes and socks.   He loves being around people!, he is in a Mommy stage and does not like when I leave...even the room.  So I have a lil buddy nearly at all times.  I hope this stage wraps up because I don't like seeing him sad when I'm gone.  I also am cherishing it though because some day everyone will be cooler than me! ;)

Influenced by the "big boys"  BUT notice the tongue--the Sticky, Icky Frog tongue!  He's always doing this.

Carter and Blakely at the Arboretum!

At the doctor on October 12, he weighed in at  22.5 (50%) and 31.5 in (90%)
One of  my favorite examples of Carter copycatting  is when I was laying on the floor on my tummy kicking my legs one day and after Carter began cracking up about this!  So much so that he fell to the floor laughing.  Anytime something gets a response like that from him, I repeat it over and over.  And we did.  The next day, Carter flung himself to the ground and began kicking his legs and laughing while looking around to see if anyone was getting what he was doing.  Once we caught on, we joined him, which just made him laugh more and more and continue doing it day after day.  He even decided a great place to do this was at Yesterland Farm on the dirtiest dirt covered ground, after soaking his arm in a duck racing pool...mud!  Hey, he's a boy, right?!  That's what my family kept reminding me!  Another time, I saw a spider and it caught me off guard crawling towards me so I screamed and began hitting it with a book over and over.  The next thing I know, I looked at Carter, because he had gone "Aaaa" and he was hitting the floor with his hands over and over....and of course, as with everything, he was laughing thinking that he was so funny copying Mommy.  He randomly did that throughout the rest of the day.  :)
Carter LOVES to read and be read to!  One of his favorites is a book called I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!  There's a part in the book that the Mom declares "WHAT?" and we always do that part with a bit more volume and intensity.  Now, when we get to the page, C points at the Mom and goes "AAAA" before I say "WHAT"!  When he wants to read it, he points towards the books and declares AAA!  He does the same with his Icky Sticky Frog book.  He lets us know he wants to read that book by sticking his tongue out over and over like the frog in the story.  He seems to really soak up everything and has a great memory!  Healso  loves Brown Bear Brown Bear, Rolie Polie Olie, Guess How Much I Love You and Are You My Mother?  We read these over and over and over!
He is a JOY to be around and lights up the life of each person he meets!  Everyone he meets comments on how sweet he is (and cute too)  hehe!  He brings smiles and laughs to every day I spend with him.  My life is so full of love and meaning with this 12 month old munchkin in it!  Daddy and I love him with every piece of our heart!

Swim lessons, and his first time finding markers--see the knee?  :)